English Language Challenges

In this post I will tell you about my experience of learning English at university.

To begin, I think English is very important. Because it is a universal language to relate to any person. For this reason, I believe that more should be encouraged in schools.

My experience of learning English at the university has been diverse. At the beginning it was very difficult because I did not have a good base in English. Then I realized that in some courses I learned more because the teachers were more concerned about our learning. Also, in some semesters, I had a major academic overload that hindered my learning.

In this summer course, I think I have learned more. Because I have more time to study and practice. I think it has been fun to write blogs, but sometimes the topics are boring. I think I still have a lot to improve in English, I still struggle to write and speak. I plan to continue studying later and then take an English course.

Currently, I speak little in English. But I like to watch series and films in the original language, which helped me to know new words and expressions.

To finish, my suggestion for the future courses of English in the university is to consider the difference of levels in the language, take into account the academic load and, in addition, to integrate it more to the race. For example, that classes are about write and speak in the social sciences or that blogs deal with topics related to the area.

Changes to my study programme

In this post I will tell you my opinion about the changes of the study programs, particularly in the career that I study, sociology.

I think the changes are positive when they come from of the different levels that make up the university, especially the students, because they are those who realize the benefits and deficiencies of the curriculum.

In the career of Sociology, a process of change of the study programs has been carried out. Because, these sometimes are not optimal to train integral professionals.

In my experience, there were many courses that repeated the contents or simply others had very little content. It happened to me in the first courses of the carrer were it courses was so much introductory. I think that those spaces could be used to do more specialized courses, to teach sociology programs or methodological.

Also, I would like that the Social Sciences faculty to invest in more technological resources such as computers and licenses for methodological programs. Because at the moment, in some courses like of electives of Statistics there are not enough quotas for the demand of students.

On the other hand, I would like that the pedagogical techniques be more participatory and conect the theoretical with the practical.

Finally, I would like the degree to be more linked to the work environment. For example: increase the participation of students in research, increase the number of practices or that all students can  do an assistantship. These factors are very useful to develop the carrer in the future and always looking the academic work.

Favorite book

In this post I will write about my favorite books and the reasons that motivate my reading.

The truth is that I do not have a favorite book, but I like reading a lot. My first memories with reading begin when my grandmother gave me books and stories.

From there, I never stopped reading. When I was little, I liked adventure books and stories about animals. Then, when I went to school, I was entertained the horror stories by Edgar Allan Poe. And by the end of high school, my favorite books were The Animal Farm by Orwell, The Steppe Wolf by Hesse and The Stranger by Camus. At that time I also began to read poetry.

At present, my reading is based mainly on books that serve me for my degree, Sociology. In recent years I have read about sociological theory and the different areas of sociology, for example: education, consumption, rural, urban, methodologies, politics, among others.

I believe that reading is very important in the development of people and their understanding of themselves and the world. Currently, I am working on a research on the taste for reading in  students vulnerable of 8th grade.

It has been a great experience to know why children read and how, despite the lack of resources, they have a taste for reading. In this sense, I believe that the encouragement of reading at an early age helps children stimulate their imagination and their curiosity about the world.

Summer holidays

In this post I will tell you about my expectations for this summer.

For this summer vacation I do not have a definite plan because I prefer to improvise my destiny. What I have clear is that I will not go to other countries because I want to try to advance in other pending academic projects. For example: advance in the thesis and look for places to do my practice.

I think that for this summer vacation I will do more personal projects, like doing a sport, going hiking in the mountains, reading a book or just resting from the hustle and bustle of academic or work demands.

Anyway, I would like to go a few days to tour the south, particularly a park or national reserve. I think about going to know the south because I like nature and it helps me to relax and escape the heat of the city.

To finish, my next planned vacation is to go with my boyfriend to South Asia. We would like to venture through different countries and get to know the local culture. I think that it has very amazing natural landscapes. We would like to visit Cambodia, India, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Bangladesh. However, we have to choose only a few countries for time and money.

I love to travel and to know new places and it is better if I go with good company. I hope to have a good experience and try exotic foods.

Post-graduate studies

In this post I will write about postgraduates course I will like to take in the future.

To begin in this post, I think it's always positive to continue studying. Because it helps you review content learned in the degree and at the same time, you can specialize in topics that you like or interest.

Before starting my studies in sociology, I thought that I would only work with the title. But every day it becomes more difficult to work only with the academic degree, this product of the competition and the increase of people who graduate from a university career.

After finishing my degree, I would like to do a master's degree in social sciences. I still do not know how long later I will do it, or where. But I would like to do it abroad because it is a good way to learn another language and culture.

Also I think that continuing to study in Chile is very expensive and the scholarships that are awarded do not cover the cost of postgraduate studies. I think that when doing a master's abroad there are more possibilities to access a scholarship.

To finish, I would like to continue studying in person class a postgraduate or diploma. Currently, I like the work field of research in social science areas such as Latin American studies, gender or education. However, to obtain a scholarship in that area, you must have a very good curriculum vitae, with many references of works and publications.

My future job

In this post I will write about my experiences and expectations about my future work.

Well, my experience in work has been mainly in the area of ​​services, such as waitress, saleswoman, promoter, among others. All these jobs were very hard and the long hours with a low salary. Because of this, I would not like to continue working in the non-qualified area. These jobs are very monotonous and are only focused on selling more certain product.

Just last year I have linked to work related to my area of ​​studies, sociology. My job is to be a research assistant in education issues.  It is a very different job than the previous one, because I have a flex time that fits in with my studies. Also, I like to be able to relate to people without a commercial purpose.

About my expectations of my future work I hope to continue in the area of ​​research, because it allows me to have a direct relationship with people and their social problems. I think it is a very diverse area and it allows us to approach different social realities in order to contribute to a better quality of life of the persons.

To finish, I hope to have a stable job that allows me to have a quiet life and also, that allows me to save money to travel.

Favorite food

Lentejas, Chile.

The truth is that I have many favorite foods, because I really enjoy eating and trying new flavors. In spite of that, only as food free the cruelty animals. 

In general, I like homemade meals depending on the seasons. In the summer I prefer light meals like salads and fruits. Meanwhile, in winter I opt for legumes such as lentils, chickpeas or beans.

Gazpacho, Spain.

Also, I like to taste new flavors. When I have been traveling I prefer to eat local foods, because it is a good way to know each culture. Despite having a vegan diet, I have found different places where they prepare meals free of animal cruelty. For example, in Chile most of the legumes are vegan, in Spain I really liked the gazpacho (it is a raw soup that has different vegetables such as tomatoes, garlic and peppers), in Italy the gnocchi are very tasty (pasta based on Popes), in Morocco I tried the cous-cous and the Tajín of vegetables (typical food consisting of steamed vegetables with potatoes), among others.

Tajín of vegetables, Morocco.

I think it is important to have a sustainable diet and in consideration of the environment. Currently, product of pollution and the meat industry, the planet is deeply damaged. For a few more years, most foods will have genetic intervention or will be artificially created. Therefore, it is important to be responsible for our lifestyles and eating habits.

Pope's visit

The announcement of Pope Francis' visit to some countries in America has been very controversial.

Pope Francisco.

In particular in Chile, the pontiff will visit the cities of Santiago, Temuco and Iquique. Places that have manifested their rejection as a result of historical conflicts such as the Mapuche demands, the maritime demands of Bolivia and accusations of concealment by the Church in the case of Karadima.

In my opinion, I think that the visit of Pope Francis has received so much rejection and questioning as a result of the annoyance of the citizenship due to the social inequalities that live day by day. In this sense, the large amount allocated for the visit of the pontiff, is a mockery for all people who are exploited by Chilean labor system what barely enough to cover their basic needs.

Protest in Santiago

To conclude, I believe that the visit of the Pope should not be shown under the image of "political problem solver", both internal and international, in countries that define themselves as secular. Even less must be paid for by public taxes, since these public monies should be directed towards overcoming poverty and social inequalities. 🙏🙏🙏

The best concert or holidays I've ever had

The best vacations I had were in the context of a student exchange. After finishing the student exchange in Spain, I traveled with five friends in Eastern Europe.

Berlín, Germany.

The first place we traveled was to Berlin, Germany. In that place we visited several tourist sites. We also went to a festival, where we had to run to the subway because there was a heavy rain that appreciated unexpectedly.

The second place we traveled was to Krakow, Poland. In that city we were surprised by how green the landscape was and the kindness of the people. We also did a tour around the concentration camps, where it was very shocking to know the history and the feeling of the people that would not happen again.

Also on the trip we went through Budapest and Vienna, both places with very impressive and ancient constructions. We were struck by the different cultures that coexist and the different stories of each city.

Finally, I was left with the memory of this trip because we established a great friendship with the different people who travel. We went through different moments and adventures together, at the same time of knowing and living the culture of each city.

A COUNTRY I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT

I would travel to Filipinas.

Filipinas is a unitary sovereign state and island country in Southeast Asia. It is a place with great diversity in areas, landscapes, animals and plants.

Filipinas

The reasons for travel is relax and vacation. And at the same time, to know another country with a culture, traditions and different foods. I think the Filipinas is a good place to travel because it has very beautiful and exotic natural place. I think that this place meets the requirements to my favorite country because it has nature tranquility.

I would like to know in the Filipinas, the "Chocolate Hills", which are located in Bohon.

Chocolate Hills, Bohon, Filipinas.

The "Chocolate Hills" have a geological formation that looks like a cone. It has the name of "Chocolate Hills" because they are covered with grass that turns brown during the seasons of drier climates.

I would like to be in the islands of the Filipinas for 12 months, in order to know deeply each place and its culture.